Yarn changer



May 26, 19.59 v R. l?. ZERUNEITH I y2,887,859

YARN CHANGER Filed April 6. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4@ 'l magg-QE?? :iii

'Bm-'-ff-lz 47 S-i- I. 45 gr Ml".

2O A. INVENTOR.

\\ 23 fudo//ph E r'unei mi W May 26, 1959 R. E. ZERUNEITH 2,387,359

YARN CHANGER Filed April e.' 1954 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTR.

` Rudolf/1 E. Zwalm/'1%y z,ss7,ss9

YARN CHANGER `Rudolph E. zeruneith, rhnaduiihia, Pa.

Applicafionxprn 6, 1954, serial No. 421,355

` z claims. (c1. -13s) w The present invention relates to the art ofknitting and more particularly to yarn changer mechanism for a circularknitting machine whereby the yarns fed to the machine may be selectivelychanged.

It is an `object of the present invention to provide a yarn changer ofsimplified construction wherein theparts v used to selectively positionthe yarn fingers may be'I 'uterchangeably used withany of the yarnfingers;g "It is n,also an object to provide finger-moving plungers`which ',are in part supported by the yarn fingers. Furthermore theplungers, preferably similarly shaped, have their fingermoving endssupported at substantially a Acommon level y the fingers while theirmovementfreceiving ends are 'supported ata plurality of levels.

A further object is to provide v'plunger-holding latches to retain thefingers and the plungers inflatched'rpositions. and to` provide a singlespring for each, finger. and 4its respective latch 'to maintainthefingers, plungers andfthe latches in their proper relative positions.

'With the above and related objects in view as they may appear in thespecifi-cation, ,the invention consists United States Patent theplungers and the latches.

-2,887,859 'Patented May .264.95.19

ICC

ward and spring urged movement from the yarn fingers,

4the positive movement of the plungers moving the fingers toward theneedles, a like plurality of similarly shaped plunger-holding latchespivotally mounted inthe housing .in individual association withthe-plungers for Vpositive movement from spring urged movement towardthe the rear end of the housing 10 while the side walls extend beyondthe top at the front end to form ears 14. i i

The yarn carrying fingers, here shownas three ,in number although `itwill be understood that thefs'triperftnay of the housing 'have agreater. or a lesser number thereof', are relatively thin similarly4shaped flat rectangular-like, rnembers; as yindicated at 15, 16 and 17,each finger having a pair of aligned .yarn-guiding holes 18 and 19formedftherein adjacent one of its longitudinal vedges fat either 'sideyof van undercut portion 20 of the finger. The fingers 15, Y16 and 17are pivotally mounted adjacenn'each' `other ona common pin 21 secured inand extending ,between the housing ears 14, forwardly of thetop11ltl1epin 21 passing through the fingers at one end the fto one side ofthe holes 18. Each linger has arou edinthe operation of and theconstruction `and combination of par ts as will be `more fullyunderstood` from the folflowing description thereof, when read inzconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a view in yside elevation 4ofthe iinprofved ,Figure 3 is a:view in front elevation of Figurel with the upper portion o thestriperfsupporting bracket removed.

l Figure 4 is a top planlyiew of the striper without thestriper-supporting bracket.`

Figure 5 is a View in section of the striper taken length- 'wise`through thestriper. box and showing the threestriper fingers, oneofwhich is in yarn feeding lposition.

' Figure 6j is aview similar to Figure 5 taken between the.feedingpositioned striper finger. and the adjacent striper finger. v

The improved multiple-yarn yarn. changer or striper of 40' striperIshown imposition upon the, striper'suppo r ting bracket. v y Figure 2is a view inrear elevation ofjFigu're l.'

the `present invention, of general applicationto any typefof knittingmachine, is' preferably used o n a multiple; feed circular rotary vcamring rib knitting machine ofthe type shown in co-pending applicationSerial No. 81,440, filed March 15, 1949 (on Whichpatent-applicationPatent No. 2,705,4l0 was issued on April 5, 1 955, wherein a striper isused at each feed to selectively change the yarns ifed to the v-needlesv0f theIltlthine andgwhereintheyarn changing is initiated on the dialneedles. The newly formed striper generally comprises a plurality ofsimilarly shaped yarn-carrying fingers pivotally mounted in a housingfor positive movement toward and spring urged movement from the needles,a like plurality of similarly shaped yarn-finger-moving plungers or pushblades generally slidably mounted in the housing in individualassociation with the yarn fingers for positive movement tobottomplunger-supporting V-shaped notch fornt'etiiin its other longitudinal.edge justfbelowf-'the pin2,1 ..,"A ,tensioned spring 23, suitablysecured to the saidother longitudinal edge of each finger adjacentyitsyarnffeeding hole 19, constantly vurges its finger rearwardlyofthehousing 10 out of feeding position. f

The finger-actuating plungers, one for each lnger,

are relatively. thin similarly shapedat Y strip-likeEinembers, asindicated "at 24, 25 and26, leach plunger having itsyarn7nger-contacting end rounded as at 271and having its other endreduced in width toform a` l sft op shoulder 28. `The plungers 24, 25and 26 are generally .slidably supported Within the housing 10 inindividual association with the fingers 15, 16 and 17 respectively, bythe fingers themselves and by :a rectangular, plate29 secured to therearface of the housing@ The '.plate 29, positioned in a vertical slotformed in the rear. facon'f. housing 10, is secured to the housing.by`a.. scr`ew30 passing through the plate in threaded engagement withtheV top 11. Spaced angularly inthe plate 29 is` a-'series of threerectangular apertures 31, through whichhe shouldered ends of theplungers 24,1`25'and 26. fare ,adapted to extend, their shoulders 28engagingthe inner face Vof: the plate 29 to providemovemen't-lin-iiting-fstops for the plungers.

The plungers 24, 25 and 26 lare, disposed so that their rounded ends 27are received at" ,sub-

stantially a common level yby the notches 23 'of their re.

Fspectivelingers while their shouldered ends exteudihljough V 32,.33,and34, respectively, at threeseparafte levels. asmuch as the springs 23urge the fingers rearwardly,

the plate apertures 31 to 1provide plunger-movin b lutts .In-

the fingers in turn will urge the plungers rearwardly of lthe housing 10where they will be stopped by the plate 29. The butts are adapted to beselectively engaged by appropriate Striper-pattern mechanism, not shown,to positively move their plungers inwardly of the housing 10 against theaction of springs 23, the plungers in turn positively moving theirrespective fingers about the pip,

' each plunger.

`mechanism', as is well known in the art, is such that the `'wherebylthe'plungers may be held in their inward positions by suitablespring-urged latches.

The latches, one for each plunger, are also relatively thiny similarlyshaped flat strip-like members, as indicated at 36, 37 and 38, eachlatch having one end 39 cut to provide a plunger-notch-engaging corner40 and having its other end 41 chamfered on its underside at 42. The

latches 36, 37 and 38 are pivotally mounted adjacent each other withinthe housing below and in individual association `with the plungers 24,25 and 26, respectively, on a common pin 43 secured in and extendingbetween the housing walls 12 and 13, with the pin 43 passing through thelatches at approximately one third theirflength as lmeasured from theirchamfered ends.

The other ends of springs 23 are suitably secured to the lowerllongitudinal edges of the respective latches between vtheir pivot pointsand their chamfered ends to provide for the spring urged movement of thefingers, plungers and latches. The corners. 40 of the latches are springurged to 'engage in the notches 35 of the inwardly moved plungers to soretain lthem in latched position, Figure 5,

'while the latch ends 39 are held in yielding engagement withthe bottomface of the rearwardly positioned unlatchedplungers between theirnotches 35 `and their ends 27, Figure 6, ready for plunger-engagingaction. The ends 41 of the latches extend beyond the rear of the'housing v10 below the plate 29 where their chamfered surfaces 42 are inposition for latch-tripping engagement `with the latch releasing portionof appropriate striperpattern mechanism, not shown, to partially rotateall the .latches to release any latched plungers. It will be under-"stood that the tripping of any latch will cause its spring 23 to movethe finger and plunger rearwardly of the n housing 10 to idle position,the finger 16 and the plunger `25 being shown in such unlatched positionin Figure 6.

TheA latch ends 41 extend at a slight angle to the horizontal, Figures 5and 6, inasmuch as each latch turns a diierent amount to cooperate at aseparate level with The normal action of striper-pattern selectedplungers are held inwardly long enough, after P `all the latches havebeen tripped to release any latched f'plungers, to be latched by thenow-free latches.

'-' i `1 Ihestriper may be secured to the machine by means of"anfL-shaped striper bracket 43 to one end 44 of which the striperhousing 10 is adjustably secured. The other end 45 of the bracket43 is slidably mounted in a vertical l slotlforxnedlin' the outerperipheral lface of a horizontal circular striper-supporting ring 46,the ring being shown fin my application, for vertical adjustment of thebracket 43 (and the striper) relative to the needle circle of themachine. It will be understood that a number of stripers, j one foreachV feed, may be similarly mounted at circumferentially spacedlocations on the ring 46. Vertical adjustment ofthebracket 43 may bemade with a set-screwh'eld headed screw 47 extending longitudinally from,threaded engagement with the bracket end 45, the screw 47 .beingposition so that the underside of its head may contact the upper face ofthe ring 46 to position the bracket 43 as the screw 47 is turned, afterwhich the bracket 43 may be secured by a holding screw 48 which passes'through a washer 49 and through an enlarged hole l 4 50 in the bracketend 45 for threaded engagement with the Vring 46. The housing top 11 isprovided with an upwardly extending key-member 51 which is slidablymounted in a longitudinal slot in the underface of bracket end 44 forradial adjustment of the housing 10 (and the striper) relative to theneedle circle of the machine. Radial adjustment of the housing may bemade by means of a setscrewheld headed screw 52 extending longitudinallyfrom threaded engagement with the rear of housing top 11 at one undercutside thereof, the screw 52 being so positioned that the underside of itshead may contact the outer face of the bracket end 44 to position thehousing 10 as the screw 52 is turned, after which the housing may besecured by a holding screw 53 which passes through a washer 54 andthrough an enlarged aperture 55 in bracket end 44 for threadedengagement with the housing top 11.

VIt will be seen that the present invention provides an improvedmultiple-yarn striper or yarn changer wherein similarly formed yarnlingers are positively moved in one direction against spring action bythe positive movement of similarly formed plungers moved against thesame spring action, wherein the ngers and their respective plungers areheld in their positively moved positions by similarly formed latchesurged into contact with the plungers by the same spring action andwherein individual springs between each linger and its respective latchprovides the spring action, the plungers having their movement receivingends supported at separate levels for engagement by the plunger-movingmeans, while their motion-transmitting ends are at substantially acommon'level in plunger-supporting engagement with the yarnv fingers.

It will be understood that suitable clamp and cutter may be secured tothe striper housing 10 to hold the idle yarn ends, and such a clamp andcutter is shown in my lapplication which also shows the manner ofsecuring ithe same to the striper.

Having thusr described the invention, it is claimed:

1. A yarn changer for a knitting machine, said yarn changer having ahousing, a plurality of movable yarn ingers pivotally mounted in `saidhousing, similarly formed strip-like finger-moving-plungers movablymounted in said housing in operative alignment and in individualassociation with the respective ngers, similarly formed strip-likeplunger-holding-latches pivotally mounted in said housing in operativealignment and in individual association with the respective plungers,and, a separate tension spring operatively interposed and connected toeach of said fingers and its respective latch,

Iand arranged to urge said ngers and their respective latches towardstheir respective plungers.

2. A yarn changer as set forth in claim 1 in which said plungers haveone of their ends interengaged with said yarn fingers at substantially acommon level for arcuate movement in relation thereto and have theirother ends slidably supported by and projecting from said housing at aplurality of levels, and in which said housing has a stop to limit theprojecting movement of said plungers therefrom, said lingers urging saidplungers toward said stop and thereby retaining said plungers in saidinterengagement with said fingers.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS GluckJune 20, 1944

